Overland Stage Raiders (1938)

After gold shipments from a mining town have been hijacked, the three Mesquiteers buy a plane to fly the gold out. The owner of the shipping line brings in Eastern gangsters to thwart them.

Director:

George Sherman

Writers:

William Colt MacDonald (characters), Bernard McConville (story)

Stars:

John Wayne, Louise Brooks, Ray Corrigan

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Wayne	...	Stony Brooke
Ray Corrigan	...	Tucson Smith
Max Terhune	...	Lullaby Joslin
Louise Brooks	...	Beth Hoyt
Anthony Marsh	...	Ned Hoyt
John Archer	...	Bob Whitney (as Ralph Bowman)
Gordon Hart	...	W. T.Mullins
Roy James	...	Dave Harmon
Olin Francis	...	Jake - Henchman
Fern Emmett	...	Ma Hawkins
Henry Otho	...	Sheriff Mason
George Sherwood	...	Clanton - Henchman
Arch Hall Sr.	...	Joe Waddell (as Archie Hall)
Frank LaRue	...	Hank Milton (as Frank La Rue)

Storyline

With the stage being held up regularly, the Mesquiteers decide an airplane would be better so they get the ranchers to sell their cattle and invest in the new airline. But when a gold shipment goes out, the stage line owner has his men hijack the plane. The pilot discharges the gas causing a forced landing and the Mesquiteers must now find the missing plane and recover the gold.

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Plot Keywords:

airplane pilot | airplane hijack | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Western

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

Final film of Louise Brooks. NOTE: Contrary to popular belief, this was not intended to be her "comeback" film; she made it because she needed the money. She was paid $300 (equal to $5180, adjusted for inflation in 2017) for the film. Not long after it was released, she was found working as a salesgirl at Saks Fifth Avenue at a salary of $40 (equivelant to $690 in '17) a week. Brooks later referred to Wayne as "a purely beautiful being."

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Quotes

[first lines]
[reading a reward poster]
First Bandit: One thousand dollars. I guess we ain't worth much to the Oro Grande Company.
Second Bandit: That ain't no decent reward for a self-respecting bandit. What do you say we send Harmon a donation to boost the ante?
First Bandit: Maybe I will - after we polish off the three o'clock stage!

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Connections

Followed by Pioneers of the West (1940)

User Reviews

Cowboy John Wayne and a plane

A 30's Western where there are cars, there is a train... and there is a plane! Well, a Western with an airplane is quite unusual. Despite that, it is a very conventional and unpretensious Western, whitout any deepness or subtancial innovation. This B-Western from "Three Mesquiteers" franchise is starred by John Wayne as the leading man of the three (the three raiders changed from film to film, but the two other actors were the most frequently recurring in the series; Wayne played Stony Brooke in seven other flicks). Young and still cheerful John Wayne, with his long white good-cowboy hat, and with his equally white horse to highlight him among all the others (as if his height were not enough!), has all opportunities to ride, chase, flirt, fight, shoot, propose partnership in aircraft business, investigate, and protect mining company's gold, followed by his two sidekicks. In the very latest film of her career, silent cinema star Loise Brooks has a unremarkable supporting role.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 September 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bandidos Encobertos

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch - 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Republic Pictures (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

55 min 54 min (Western Channel print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA High Fidelity Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1